Wire fence machine



June 18, 1940. H, 4L, KrrsELMAN 2,2U4,602

WIRE FENCE MACHINE Filed April l, 1939 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 lmllll H. L.KITSELMAN 204,602 wlmi: FENCE MAGHINE f Filed April l, 1939 7Sheets-*Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Filed April l, 1939 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY;

.Imm 18, 1940. y H. L.; KITSELMAN 2,204,6@2

WIRE FENCE MACHINE Filedpril l. 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 zzvvENToR .f7/@eyMaggy/M9 BY i 7 ATTORNEYS.

H. L. KITSELMAN WIRE FENCE MACHINE Filed April l, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 544 40 Il i \yI mlf/ 1\ i /L l, l I /f 7X 6 5 44 INVENTOR A BYmv/@Y L./f/rsEL lli/@ ATT EYS- June 18; 1940. H. L. KrrsELMAN WIRE FENCE MACHINEFiled April l. 1939 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOK June 18, 1940. H. L.KrrsELMAN WIRE FENCE MACHINE Filed April l. 1939 '7 Sheets-SheetI '7INVENTOR, .ZY/@Py ./rsf m;

ATTORNEY5.

, WNKMNMN Patented June 18, 1940 i PATENT oFFicE WIRE FENCE MACHINEHarry L. Kitselman, Muncie, Ind., assignor to Indiana Steel & WireCompany, Muncie, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application April 1,1939, Serial No. 265,411

18 Claims.

This inventionrelates to the .manufacture of wire fabric, such aspoultry netting, and more particularly to the manufacture of `thattypeof fabric known as "straight-line netting embody- `t; ing straightvline wires and mesh wires each of which is secured,` as by twisting,alternately to two adjacent line wires.

The` invention has for its primary object the production of a machinecapable of manufacturing wire fabric of graduated mesh--i. e., fabric inwhich the width of the mesh varies from one edge ofthe fabric to theother. More specifically, it is my object to construct a machine capableof producing graduated-mesh fabric in which the variation in thewidth ofthe mesh may have any desired extent.

A further object of my invention is to facilitate the production offabric havinga relatively fine mesh, at least over a part of itstransverse` exteilt. l

Another object is to simplify the operation of stripping finishednetting from a machine of the type referred to. i Still another objectis to prevent distortion of the mesh-pattern as the result of tensionimparted to the fabric-wires while they are being twisted together `toform locks.

In carrying out my inventiomI may employ a machine o-f the general typeset forth in my prior Patent No. 2,053,221, granted September l, 1936.In that machine, the fabric is formed on the face of` a movable carrier,desirably a rotating drum, which hears an endless series of rows oftwisting lgears adapted to form. the locks in the fabric. The mesh wiresof the fabric are fed on to the face of the carrier, shifted alternatelyin opposite directions into the desired pattern as the drum rotates, anddeposited in the twisting gears, the shifting means comprisingwire-engaging abutments, preferably in theform of pins, arranged in rowson opposite sides of `each set of twister gears and shifted inpredetermined manner to produce the desired mesh pattern as the carriermoves. When the mesh wires have been deposited in the 45 slots of thetwister gears, the linewires are fed into such slots, and the twistergears then rotated to twist the line wires and mesh wires together,

after which the finished fabric is stripped from y the drum.

50 While a machine of this general type is preferred and while thespecic embodiment of my invention described herein employs such `amachine, it is to be understood that my invention is not limitedthereto; as certain of the benefits 5b of my invention` are obtainablewhether the mesh wires are formed into the desired pattern before orafter entering intoassociation with the carrier Which bears the twistergears or other lockforming devices.

In embodying my present invention in a ma- 5 chine of the type shown inmy prior patent, the twister gears `in each row are spaced at graduateddistances apart to correspond to the graduated mesh of the fabric whichit is the primary object of my invention to produce. The wire-shifting10 pins are correspondingly spaced, so that, at the conclusion of theirwire-,shifting movement they will be in approximate alinement with therespective twister gears. IIlhe pins associated with each set of twistergears have a common support 15 and therefore all move laterally throughthe same distance as the fabric is formed. The distance through whichthe pins move must be approximately equal to half the width of thecoarsest mesh; and, as a result, each of the closely spaced pins whichproduce fine-mesh fabric may pass one or more twister gears' beforecoming into alinement with that one into which it is to deposit a wire.To prevent the` more closely spaced pins from depositing wires intwister gears other than those with which they ultimately come intoalinement, I may defer feeding the closely sp-aced mesh wires to thecarrier until after each `of the closely spaced `pins has passed thetwister gear next adjacent to thefone in which it is to `deposit thewire it is shifting.

` After the shift pins deposit the mesh wires in the twister-gear slotsthey continue their movement for a short distance to create in each meshwire a slight amount of slack which is later taken up in the twistingoperation. The pins are next retracted to open the gear-slots fordeposition of the line Wires therein, the line wires are deposited, andthe pins are again `advanced to create slack in the line wires. The pinsare then retracted and held inposition corresponding to the corners ofthe mesh while the twister gears are rotated to form the locksI in thefabric, the presence `of the pins in the corners of the mesh preventingany distortion of the fabric as a result of the twisting operation.Following formationof the locks, the pins are retracted another step outof the mesh-corners, and the finished fabric is then stripped from thedrum. i

In order to make practicable the formation of fabric having a relativelynarrow mesh, I may offset or stagger axially the teeth of adjacenttwister gears whereby adjacent gears may be spaced apart a distance lessthan their outside diameter.

To strip the finished fabric from the carrier, I mount adjacent thecarrier a stripping roll provided with a multiplicity of outwardlyextending vention: Fig. l is -a front elevation of a com-- plete machinewith parts thereof broken away and illustrated in vertical section; Fig.2 is an end elevation of the machine showing driving mechanism for thestripper-roll and take-up deivice; Fig. 3 is a vertical section throughthe machine; Fig. 4 isa fragmental development of the drum surfaceshowing the action of the shifter pin forming the mesh; Fig. 5 is adevelopment of the cams which operate the wire-shifting mechanism andthe twister gears; Figs. 6 and 7 are an elevation andv a sectionrespectively showing means employed for holding shift-rods on the faceof the drum; Fig. 8 is a fragmental axial section illustrating thearrangement of twister gears employed to form the finer-mesh portions ofthe fabric; Fig. 9 is a tangential section `on the line S--G of Fig. 8;Fig. 10 is a fragmental plan view of the stripper roll; Figs. 11 to 14are elevations of a row of shift pins showing successive positionsthereof; and Figs. 15 to 18 are interrelated views illustrating theconsiderations Which influence. the location at which the second set ofmesh wires is fed to the carrier.

In the machine shown in the drawings, the fabric-carrier is in the formof a drum supported by and rotatable with a shaft mounted at its ends insuitable bearings in a frame 2li. Secured to the frame 2| andextendinginwardly along the shaft 2i] from the opposite ends thereof aretwo drum cams 22 and 22', the inner ends of which may be provided withbearings 23.1ending additional support to the shaft 2li.v Between thetwo drumcams 22 and 22' there are rigidly secured to the shaft 2E! aplurality of axially spaced spiders .one of which,indicated at 24, isdisposed adjacent the inner end of the drumcam 22, and another of which,indicated at 24', is disposed adjacent the inner end of the drumcam 22.Each of the spiders is provided with an annular series of notches forthe reception of two series of longitudinally extending supmer extendingfrom the spider 2li past the spider 2li and over the drum-cam 22, andthe latter extending from the spider 24 past the spider 24 and over thedrum-caml 22. Rotatably mounted on the outer end of the drum cam 22 is agear 25 to which the adjacent ends of the supporting members 25 aresecured. A similar gear 26 on the drum cam 22 provides a support for theadjacent ends of the supporting members 25.

v Each of the supporting members 25 is provided adjacent the inner faceof the spider 24 with a boss 2 in which there is mounted an axiallyextending dowel pin 28 which projects into a recess in the inner face ofthe spider 24. The ends of each of the supporting members 25 are securedto the gear 26 and spider 24 respectively, as by means of screws. Whenthese screws are removed, the supporting member may be moved axially towithdraw the dowel pin 28 from the spider 2li, whereupon the supportingmember 25 can be removed from the machine. The supporting members 25 aresimilarly mounted, having a dowel-pin connection with the Vspider 24 andhaving their ends secured to the spider 24 andc'thegear 2trespectively.A-

In'addtion to aiding in the mounting of the members 25 and 25', thebosses 24 serve to transmit to the spiders the axial thrust resultingfrom vshifting ofthe mesh wires and from actuation of the twister gears.This thrust is transmitted to the frame of the machine through thrustbearings 29 acting between each of the end spiders 211 and 24' and therespectively adjacent drum cams 22 and22.

Means for rotating the drum is shown in the drawing as comprising adrive-pinion 30 meshing with a gear 3i which is rigidly mounted on theshaft 2U at one end of the machine. The gear 3i meshes in turn with apinion 32 rotatable with a countershaft 33 which extends for the lengthof the machine and which,` at its opposite end, carries a pinion 34meshing with a gear 35 on the shaft 20. In addition to the pinions 32and34, the shaft j33 also carries pinions 36 which mesh with and drive thegears 26 and 26'.

Each of the supporting members 25 and 25' is provided in its` outersurface with a pair of circumferentially spaced grooves which receiverespectively two parallel plates 40 extending axially of the machinefrom the spider 24 to the spider 24. Between each pair of plates `lli]there are supported a series of twister gears 4I k,arranged in a rowextending from one lend of the drum to the other. Conveniently, thetwister gears 4I of each row are arranged in groups individuallyremovable from and insertable in themachine. ToV this end, the twistergears of each group are provided with hubs rotatably received inopenings in apair of opposed plates 44, as more fully described in myprior patent above referred to. The several pairs of plates i4 areindividually mounted between the plates 40, so that any pair,

` together with the associated group of twister gears, can be separatelyremoved and replaced.

The twister gears are all of uniform diameter and each has an annularseriesof teeth @.5 meshing with a rack i6 which is supported for axialsliding movement on the outer surface of the associated supportingmember 25 or 25 between the plates 44. Each twister gear is provided inknown manner with aradial slot 41 adapted to receive two or more of thewires of which the fabric is formed and to twist such wires togetherwhen the gear is rotated. In the normal position of each gear, the slottherein is in alinement with radially extendingY slots which open in theouter edges of the plates 40 and 44.

In each row of twister gears, the several gears are spaced apart atdistances corresponding to the widths of the various meshes in the wirefabric which the machine is to produce. In the machine shown, fourdifferent widths of mesh are provided, the narrower mesh being formed atthe left-hand side of the drum (Figs. 1 and 4), and the wider mesh atthe right-hand side of the drum. By way of example, I have used themachine shown in the drawings to produce fabric having graduated. meshesof 5y; of an inch, 1 inch, 1% inches and 2 inches in width. Each row oftwister gears, therefore, will include a set, located aty the left-handend of the drum,

` spaced 5/8 of an inch apart, a secondset spaced 1 inch apart, a thirdset spaced 1% inches apart, anda fourth set spaced 2 inches apart. Toprevent the closest spacing of the twister gears from unduly limitingthe diameter of such gearsthe teeth 45 of the adjacent twister gearsproducing the finer-mesh fabric may be offset axially as indicated atthe left in Figs. 8 and 9. Thus, the diameter of the twister gears mayexceed the width of the finest mesh of the fabric. `For the purpose offorming the mesh wires of the `fabric into the desired pattern, I mounton opposite sides of each row of twister gears a pair lof shift rods 50each of which carries a series of axially spaced wire-shifting pins 5Iprojecting radially outward beyond the plates 45. The spacing of thepins 5I corresponds to the spacing of the associated set of twistergears, as is-clear from Fig. 1. The shift rods 50 associated with eachsupporting member extend outwardly beyond the spider 24, where they arejoined to each other and to a common shank 52 secured to ahead 53 whichis slidably mounted on the projecting end portion of the supportingmember 25. Desirably, each of the shanks 5E is screw-threaded, extendsthrough the head 53, and is provided on opposite sides of such head withnuts by means of which the relative axial position of the head and shankcan be adjusted. On the inner side of each of the heads 53, I mount acam-following roller 54 received in a cam groove 55 in the drum-cam 22.

'I'he shift rods 50 associated with the supporting members 25 aresimilarly adapted for attachment to heads 53 which slide on theprojecting portions of the supporting members 25 and carry cam-followingrollers 54 received in a cam-groove 55 in thedrum-cam 22.

The various shift rods 50 are slidably supported upon the rotatabledrum, conveniently by some such means as that illustrated in Figs. 6

and 7. As is `clear from those figures, there is provided betweenadjacent shift rods 5D, where they cross one or more of the spiders 24,a keeper 56 which is secured to the drum, as by means of screws 51. Eachkeeper 55 has on its opposite sides flanges 56 which overlie t'headjacentshift rods 50 and hold them against the face of the drum. Toprevent the keepers 56 from interfering with wire-shifting movement,their outer surfaces are approximately flush `with the outer surfaces ofthe rods 5B, the adjacent outer edges of such rods being grooved for thereception of the flanges 5'6. If necessary, the opposed faces of theadjacent rods 5l) may be relieved to make room for the body of eachkeeper 56, the length of such relief being such that the shoulders atits ends will not interfere with the necessary shifting movement of therod 5D. i i

For the purpose of actuating the twister gears, the racks 4B associatedwith the supporting members 25 extend outwardly to the left beyond thespider 24 and head 53 where they are ccnnected respectively to heads 58slidable on the projecting portions of thesupport'ing members` 25.`Desirably the connection of each rack `46 to its associated head 58 isan adjustable connection so that the relative axial positions of therack and head can be varied. Mounted on the inner side of each of theheads 53 is a camfollowing roller 59 received in a cam-groove 55.! inthe drum-cam 22. The racks 45 associated with the supporting members 25are similarly connected to heads 58 carrying cam-following rollers 59which are received `in a cam-groove 60 in the drum-cam 22.

Each of the mesh wires 65 of the fabric is fed on` to the rotating drum,engaging the outer edges of the plates between two adjacent twistergears. Each wire is deflected laterally of itself, first in` onedirection into the slot of a twister gear on one side of it and then inthe opposite direction into the slot of a twister gear on the other sideof it. The wires are fed on to the drum under` tension so that they tendto enter the slots in the twister gears when they `come into alinernenttherewith. I find it `of advantage, however, to slope the pins 5Ioutwardly of the drum inthe direction of their wire-shifting movement sothat each of them' will exert on its associated wire a force having adownward component aiding the wire in entering the twister-gear slot.

The action of the shifterpins in deflecting the mesh wires into thedesired pattern is indicated in Fig. 4, which illustrates a developedportion ofthe surface of the drum on which the fabric is formed and alsoa diagrammatic development of the two cam-grooves 55 and `55 whichoperate the shift-rods 50. In Fig. 4,-the drumsurface is assumed to moveupwardly. Alternate sets of shifter pins beginning with the lowermostset shown are mounted on shift rods 50 which extend leftwardly beyondthe *end o-f the drum and are moved by co-operation `between thecam-following rollers 54 and the cam groove 55; while the other `sets ofshifter pins are mounted on rods 50 which extend rightwardly from thedrum and are moved by cooperation between the cam-following rollers`54and the cam groove 55.

In Fig. 4, the lowermost pair of shift-rods 50 are shown in their-normal positions, the camcient to carry each pair of shift-pins 5I farenough past the slot in the associated twister gear tof` create a slightamount of slack in the mesh wires 65. Because of the over-travel of thepins, as well as because of their inclination and of the necessity forclearance between the outer ends of the pins and the mesh-wires enteringinto association with the drum, the axial extent of each cam-grooveportion A-B must be somewhat greater than one-half the distance betweenadjacent twister gears at the right-hand `end of the drum where thecoarsest mesh of the fabric is formed.

In Figs. 11 to 14, I have shown in elevation the left-hand portion andright-hand portion of a row of twister gears, the twister gears at theleft being spaced closely apart to produce the fine-mesh portion of thefabric and the twister gears at the right being widely spaced to producethe coarse-mesh portion. The shift rod 5U illustrated bears a series ofspaced shift pins 5I each of which constitutes one of a pair, the otherpin of each` pair being correspondingly positioned on a second shift rod50 on the opposite sideof the IQW of. twister gears. For convenience ofdescription, I have given the various twister gears and shift pins shownin Figs. 11 to 14 different reference characters, the closely spacedtwister gears being identified as Ma, lib etc., and the widely spacedtwister gears being identified as My and Me. The shift pins have beencorrespondingly individually identified as 51d, 56h, Ely and 51e.

The normal position of each shift pin is illustrated in Fig. 11, whilethe position of the shift pins at the conclusionV of their wire-shiftingmovement is indicated in Fig. 14. In this shifting movement, thek shiftpin Ely comes into engagement with a mesh wire G5, previously fed on tothe drum to the left of the shift pin, carries that mesh wire along thetop of the plates lil into the slot of the twister gear Lily, and thencontinues for a short distance to create the slack previously referredto.

It will be noted from Fig. 11 that if the mesh wires entering into thene-mesh portion of the fabric were deposited on the left-hand end of thedrum before pin-shifting movement started two of such wires wouldintervene between the normal Fig. 11 and shifted Fig. 14 position ofeach of the more closely spaced shift-pins 5ta, 5H), etc. The pin 5mwould engage the wire to the left of it, deposit that wire in the slotof the twister gear Mb and then continue to engage the next wire S5 anddeposit it in the gear lila. Similarly, the pin SIbI would engage thewire to the left of it, deposit such wire in the slot of the twistergear 5lc, and would then continue onward into association with the slotof the twister gear Mb'. Such action of the pins in depositing meshwires in the wrong gear-slots would result in a disarranged mesh-wirepattern and would probably cause wire-breakage. For this reason the meshwires entering into the finemesh portion of the fabric are not fed on tothe drum surface until after shifting movement of the pins 5l hasprogressed to an extent (shown in Fig. 12) such that the pin .fila haspassed beneath the mesh wire 55 which is to be deposited in the slot ofthe twister gear Mb by the succeeding pin 5w. Fig. 13 illustrates apin-position intermediate those of Figs. 12 and 14, and shows all pinsas they begin to deposit the mesh wires 65 in the respectivelyassociated twister gears.

Figs. 15 and 16 are developed views illustrating successive positions ofa pair of leftwardly moving shift pins 5m associatedl with one row oftwister gears and of two pairs of rightwardly moving shift pins 52h andlc associated with the next row of twister gears. In Fig. 15, the shiftpins Sic have engaged a mesh wire 65 and have moved it slightly to theright, while the pins 51a, of the next following set have progressed farenough to the left to just passthat mesh wire. Since the pins Ela are toclear the wire engaged by the pins 5 Ic, it will be obvious that suchmesh wire can not enter into association with the drum until after theleading pin 51a has, in the rotation of the drum, passed the pointindicated by the line M.

In Fig. 16, the drum has progressed in its rotation to a point where thepins Sib and 51o have deposited the mesh wires respectivelyr associatedwith them in the slots of the associated twister gears Mb and Mc, andthe shift pins 5m of the next succeeding set are in the position shown.As will again be obvious, the mesh wires 65 shown in Fig. 16 must haveentered into association with the drum by the time the leading pin Blareaches the point in drum-rotation indicated by the linel N, asotherwise thatpin, and the other leading pins of the same set, wouldpass beneath and not engage the mesh wires which they are to shift. v

Shift pins forming thel fabric-portion of next coarser mesh are shown inFig. 17. In full lines are shown a pair of shift pins 51g in theirnormal position and also a pair of pins 5|h of the next set in advance,the latter having started their rightward shifting movement. As is clearfrom Fig. i7, only one mesh wire 65 intervenes between the normalposition of the pins Slg and the slot in the twister gear Mg into whichthose pins are to deposit such wire.A As a result, the mesh wires @5entering into this portion of the fabric may be deposited upon the drumwhen the pins 5l are in their normal positions.

The dotted-line showing of Fig. 17 illustrates the positions of the twopairs of pins 5Ih and dig at an intermediate point in their shiftingmovement. The pins 51h have carried the wire $5 associated with themalmost into the slot in the twister gear Mh, while the leading pin 5tonis about to engage that wire. This mesh wire must be in association withthe drum by the time the leading pin 5M, in the rotation of the drum,reaches the point indicated by the line P, as otherwise that pin wouldfail to engage the mesh wire and deposit it in the slot of the gear ilEg. Therefore, while the mesh wires with which such pins as Slg and 5thare to co-operate may enter into association with the drum while thosepins are in their normal positions they must enter into association withthe drum before the leading pins reach the point indicated by the lineP.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 15 to 17, the line P lies between thelines M andN; and, as a result, the mesh wires entering into the twofinest mesh-portions of the fabric may all be fed on the drum at thesame point, entering into association with the drum between the lines Mand P as shown in Fig. 18. In the particular machine shown and described`in this application, this method of feeding the mesh wires is employed,the mesh wires entering into the two coarser-mesh portions of therfabricbeing fed on to the drum through guide tubes 66 supported in a bar Blextending across the front of the machine; while the remainder of themesh wires are fed on to the drum through guide tubes 68 mounted in abar 6d which also extends across the front of the machine, the bar 69being spaced from the bar 61 in the direction of drum rotation, as isclear from Fig. 3. Since, as above in'- dicated, the mesh wires whichare to be shifted by the pins Slg` and Elh may enter into associa,- tionwith the drum while the shift pins are in their normal position, thosemesh wires might be fed on to the drum through guide tubes 66 in the barlil. If the extent of variation in mesh Width isgreater than that in thespecific example contemplated in this application, it may be advisable,if not necessary, to feed mesh wires into association with the drum atthree or more points rather than at only two points, as indicated. Inany case, the principles embodied in the above description of Figs. 15to 18 will guide in determining where any given set of mesh wires is toenter into association with the drum.

After any set of pins has reached the limit of its movement in formingthe mesh-pattern and creating the slack above referred to they areretracted slightly, each of the cam-grooves 55 and 55. being providedwith an inwardly inclined portion for the purpose of effecting suchretraction. The movement of the pins effected by the cam-grooveportionsC--D carries the pins out of association `with the slotsin therespective twister gears and opens those slots for the deposition of theline wires l5, which are fed from the rear of the` machine over guiderollersrl `and deposited directly in` the twister-gear` slots. Duringthis depositionof the line wires,

l0ik`the cam-followers 54 and 54' occupy dwells D-F in the camegrooves55 `and 55'.

'Ihe` length of each dwell B-C in the pinshifting cams is desirably`such that two, and

preferably three, sets of shift pins occupy their ladvanced positionssimultaneously. Otherwise,

each advancingset of shift` pins might, by the tension it creates inthe` mesh Wires, draw out the slack created by the preceding set. e

`1After the line wires have been deposited in the twister-gear slots,the shift pins 5l are again` 25.11slack as that already existing in themesh wires.

If necessary each cam-groove may be provided with a dwell at the point Fin order to prevent the slack created -by one set of pins from beingpulled out by the next succeeding set of pins.

Preferably,`two line wires I5 are provided at the `edges of the fabric,`as `indicated `in Figs. S

and 9. Each pair ofthese border wires will oc-` cupy alternately"twister gears `which contain a mesh wire and twistergearswhiclicontain. no

asgmesh wire. To `create slack forthe twisting op-` eration performed byeach of the latter gears, eachleftwardly moving pair of shift rodscarries at `their right-hand `ends an extra pair of pins 5lewhich playno part in the shifting of the 40,;,mesh wires. Similarly, `the pins 5m`at the lefte hand f ends of `eachrightwardly moving pair of shift rodsshiftno mesh wires and are provided merely for the purpose of `creatingslack in the line wires. e Obviously, ifsingle instead of double borderwires were used, such extra pairs of pins might be eliminated.

Immediately beyond the outwardly sloping cam-groove portions E-f-ly` thecam-grooves 55 and` 55 `are provided with inwardly sloping por-5011,-tions F-G each of which leads into a dwell. As

a result of the presence of the inwardly sloping cam-groove portionsF-G, the shift pins are retracted a slightdistance to bring their basesinto positions corresponding to the location of the 55;,gcorners in thefinished mesh,

Following the dwell beginning at'G,` each of the cam-grooves 55 and 55contains in order a short inwardly inclined portion I-I-L a dwell I-J,and arsecondinwardly inclined portion J-K. The` omaxial extent of eachcam-groove portion I-I-Ilis `suiiicient to move the shift pins 5l out ofalinement-with the slots in theassociated twister gears andto uncoverthose slots so that the wire-locks can f-be withdrawn therefrom when thefabric is Btstripped from the drum. The inclined portion Jf-K of each ofthecam-grooves 55 and 55 restores the shift rods and pins 5| to`thenormal` positions they occupy before beginning their mesh--formingymovement.

me 'While the shift rods 50 and pins 5i have been progressing throughthe series of mesh-forming movements illustrated in` Fig. 4, thecam-followers 58 and 59` have been occupying dwells in thenof:ani-groovees[ill and S0', such dwells termfmnating at the pointindicated at R in Fig. 5.`

gears. This rotation of the twister gears twists` theeline wires andmesh wires together, `takes up the slack createdin the meshwires andline wires, and draws the mesh wires tightly against the bases of thepins 5i. Because the pins 5l are located at the corners of the mesh, nodistortion of the mesh can result from the twisting operations. i

At the conclusion of the lock-forming opera- `tion the Wires are understress, as `a result of their `inherent elasticity; and this stress isreflected in a tendency of the wires of each lock to untwist and bearagainst the sides of the slot in the associated twister gear withsuiiicient force to create an appreciable amount `of frictionl opposingwithdrawal ofthe locks from the twistergear slots when the finishedfabric is stripped from the drum. To overcome this, Imake the portionsR-S of the rack-actuating cam-grooves Eil and tit suiiicientlylong tocarry the slots in the twister gears slightly past their vertical position; and beyond the portion R--S, I provide each of the cam-grooves tiland til with a short inclined` portion S-T which rotates the twisting fgears in a retrograde direction and restores the slots therein to theirnormal vertical position. The extent of this retrograde rotation of thetwisten` gear is just sufficient to relieve the mesh wires and linewires of the stress which has causedthem tobear against the sides of thetwister-gear slots and thereby frees the wirelocks so that they canreadilybe removed from such slots when thefabric `is stripped from thedrum. i

Beyond the point T, each of the cam-grooves `6|) and 6U is provided witha dwell T-U leading into an inwardly inclined portion U--V which, inturn, leads intox the dwell terminating at R.

Ihe circumferential disposition of the camgrooves 6B and 60 relative tothe cam-grooves and 55 is illustrated in Fig. 5, from which it will beapparent that the dwell V--R in each of the cam-grooves 6G and Sil liesopposite the portion A-G of each of the cam-grooves 55 and 55'; `thatthe portion R-S of each of the grooves and 50 lies opposite each` of thedwells G-H in. each of the cam-grooves 155 and 55'; and that the dwellsT-U circumferentially overlap the dwells I-J. e

The finished fabric is stripped from the drum at a point located withinthe overlapping portions of the dwells T-U and I- J. To effect thestripping operation, the finished fabric passes over a stripping roll 8U(Fig. 3) mounted on` a shaft EH` (Figs. l and 2) extending across thefront of the machine.` At oneend, the shaft Bl projects beyond the frame2| `and has rotatably mounted upon it a sprocket 82 operativelyconnecte-d by a chain 83 toa second sprocket 84v which is rotatablewithy the shaft 33. `The sprocket 82 is connected` tothe shaft 8lthrough afriction clutch 85 which` is capable of slipping when sub-`jected to a maximum predetermined torque.

On the face `of the stripping roll 8i] I provide an annular series of"`rows ofprojections 9B conveniently `in thev form of a U-shaped staplesmounted in holes in the stripper roll. Thespacing of the staples 50 in`each row corresponds to the graduated width of the mesh, each staplebeing so `located that it will be received `in an acute-angle corner ofthe mesh pattern, as is clear from Fig. 10.

The speed ratio of the stripper-roll drive 82--83-84 is such as would,in the absence of slipping in the clutch 85, impart to the stripper roll8B a peripheral speed somewhat in excess of the peripheral speed of thedrum upon which the fabric is formed. As a result, the staples Si) aredrawn tightly into the corners of the mesh of the fabric and serve topull the locks of the fabric out of the slots in the twister gears andto cause the fabric to leave the drum.

After leaving the stripper roll 80, the fabric passes over an idler roll92 and thence to takeup mechanism 95.

In setting up the machine for operation, the mesh wires are led throughtheir respective guide tubes B and 68, the line wires are led over theguide rollers 76, and the free ends of both mesh wires and line wiresare secured to the drum, as by wrapping them about pins 5l. To preventwastage of the line wires, the mesh wires may be attached 'rst, the drumthen rotated until the free ends of the mesh wires have just passed theguide rollers I6, and the line wires then attached. Thereafter, as thedrum is rotated, the mesh wires will be deiiected into the properpattern and deposited in the twisted gears, the line wires will then bedeposited in the twister gears, and

the twister gears operated to form the locks in the fabric. As anincident to their mesh-forming advancefrom normal position, the shiftpins 5l create slack in the mesh wires, and on their second advance theycreate slack in the line wires, such slack being taken up when the linewires and mesh wires are twisted together by the twister gears. Prior tothe operation of the twister gears, the shaft pins 5I have beenretracted to positions corresponding to the obtuse- 'angled corners ofthe mesh pattern; so that the action of the twister gears in drawing thewires tight will pull the wires against the pins. 5l and will notdistort the mesh pattern.

As the leading end of the fabric reaches the stripper roll it is ledover that roll, around the idler 9i), and to the take-up mechanism 95.Prior to the stripping operation, the pins 5l have been retracted out ofthe mesh-corners so that the stripping operation will not be opposed byfriction Vbetween the wires and` the pins. `This further retraction ofthe pins is necessary where the pins occupy inclined positions, asin themachine illustrated in the drawings, but is of advantage in facilitatingstripping even if the pins are normal to the drum-surface.

The iinished'fabric, after being stripped. from* both in the directionof carrier movement andv transversely thereof, means for feeding meshwires to said carrier in planes between the former rows of lock-formingdevices, and mechanism for deecting each mesh wire laterally of itselfand depositing it alternately in the lock-forming devicesof the rowsbetween which it is fed, said 4mechanism comprising va pair of shiftrods mounted on said carrier on opposite sides of each transverse row oflock-forming devices and interconnected for joint movement parallelthereto, means for successively shifting said pairs of shift rodsalternately in opposite directions from a normal position to a shiftedposition and returning them to normal position as the carrier moves,each of said shift rods being provided with a series of wire-engagingabutments disposed thereon to be in association with the respectivelock-forming devices of the associated transverse row thereof when inshifted position, the means for feeding mesh wires being arranged tofeed mesh wires for the coarse-mesh portion of -said fabric intoassociation with said abutments at a point in carrier movement Vwheresaid abutments are in normal position and to feed mesh wires for thefine-mesh portion of said fabric into association with said abutments ata point in carrier movement where the associated abutments are in anintermediate position such that only one of said latter mesh wires willintervene between each abutment and its shifted position.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition that saidcarrier is a rotatable drum, the means for guiding said mesh wirescomprising a set of guides for the mesh wires entering into thecoarse-mesh portion of the fabric and a second set of guides for themesh wires entering into the fine-mesh portion of the fabric, the secondset of guides being spaced from the rst set in the direction of rotationof said drum.

3, The invention. set forth in claim 1 with 'the addition that each ofsaid abutments, when moved from normal to shifted position, travels ashort distance beyond its associated lock-forming device to create slackin the mesh wire it engages.`

4. In a machine for making straight-line wire fabric, a movable carrier,a plurality of lockforming devices mounted on said carrier andarrangedin rows both in the direction of carrier movement and transverselythereof, means for feeding mesh wires to said carrier in planesbeparallel thereto, each of said shift rods beingl provided with aseries of wire-shifting abutments spaced thereon at intervalscorresponding to the spacing of the lock-forming devices in theassociated row thereof, and means for successively shifting said pairsof shift rods alternately in opposite directions from. a normalposition, in which each abutment lies on the opposite side of a meshwire from the lock-forming device into which such wire is to bedeposited, and a shifted position, in which each abutment has depositedthe mesh wire it shifts in the proper lock-forming device and hascontinued onward for a short distance to create slack in such wire, saidmeans opmechanism for deflecting each mesh Wire laterally of `itself anddepositing it alternately in the lock-forming devices of the rowsbetween which `it is fed, `means for feeding `line wires to said drumand depositing them in said lock-forming devices above said mesh wires,means for actuating the lock-forming devices after the mesh wires andline wires have successively been deposited therein, and a strippingdevice for stripping the finished fabric from the carrier, saidWire-defleeting mechanism comprising two series of wire-shiftingabutments between adjacent transverse rows of lock-forming devices, andmeans acting as said carrier moves first to advance said abutments fromtheir normal positions to deposit the mesh Wires and create slacktherein, next to retractthe abutments to permit the line wires to bedeposited in the lock-forming devices, next to `advance the abutments tocreate slack in the Vline wires, next to retract the abutments and holdthem in positions corresponding to the corners of the mesh in the fabricwhile said lockforming devices are being actuated, next to retract theabutments further and to hold them out of the corners of the mesh whilethe fabric is be-` `:ing stripped from the carrier, and last to restorethe abutments to their normal positions. ,l

`mesh wires, to shift the mesh wires and deposit them in thelock-forming devices, and to continue beyond wire-depositing position tocreate slack in the mesh wires.

7. In a machine for forming wire fabric having mesh Wires, a pluralityof parallel rows of lockformingdevices, mechanism for deilecting meshWires alternately in opposite directions and depositing them in` saidlock-forming devices, said mechanism comprising wire-engaging abutments,and means for advancing said abutments to cause them to shift mesh wiresand deposit them in the lock-forming devices and for then retractingsaid abutments to positions corresponding to the cornersof the mesh inthe fabric, and means for actuating said lock-forming devices while saidabutments are in such retracted positions.

8. In a machine for forming wire fabric having mesh wires, a pluralityof parallel rows of lockforming devices, wire-engaging members disposedbetween adjacent rows of lock-forming devices, said members beingmovable parallel to said rows, means for actuating said lockformingdevices,

, and mechanism for holding said members in positions corresponding tothe corners of the mesh in the fabric while the lock-forming devices arebeing actuated and for subsequently retracting location of locks in themesh pattern of the fabric the machine is to produce, means fordepositing wires in mesh pattern in said lockforming devices as saidcarrier moves, mechanism for actuating said lock-forming devices, astripper roll over which the fabric passes after the locks there` in areformed, said stripper roll being provided the face of the carrier inpositions corresponding to the location of locks in the mesh pattern ofthe fabric themachine is to produce, means for depositing wires in meshpattern in said lock-` forming devices as said carrier moves, mechanismfor actuating said lock-forming devices, a stripper roll over which thefabric passes after the locks therein are formed, and means tending 4todrive saidstripper roll at a peripheral speed greater than the linearspeed of said carrier.

11. In a machine fo-r making wirefabric, a movable carrier, means formoving said carrier, means for feeding wires to said carrier, means onsaid carrier for dehecting at least some of said Wires and twisting thewirestogether to form a fabric, a stripper roll for stripping finishedfabric from the carrierand having on its `faces projections positionedto engage in apices of they mesh, and means tending to drive saidstripper roll at a peripheral speed greater than the linear speed ofsaid carrier.

12. In a machine for making straight-line wire fabric having` a nemeshportion and aI coarsemesh portion, the width of the former being' lessthan half the width of the latter, a movable carrier, an endless seriesof parallel shift-members each extending across said carriertransversely to the direction of movement thereof, Wire engagingabutments on said shift members, means for successively moving saidshift-members alternately in opposite directions to deflect the meshwires into the mesh pattern as said carrier moves, a set of guides formesh wires entering into the coarse-mesh portion of the fabric, and asecond set of guides for mesh wires entering into the finemesh portionof the fabric, said second set of guides being spaced from said rst setin the direction of carrier movement whereby the wires they guide willenter into association with said abutments after wire-deflectingmovement of said shift members has begun.

13. In a machine for making a graduated-mesh wire fabric ,in which thewidth of the narroiwest mesh is less than half that of the coarsestmesh, a movable carrier, an endless series of transverse rows oflock-forming devices mounted on said carrier, mechanism for defiectingmesh wires laterally into the mesh pattern vand for depositing thedeflected mesh wires in the lock-forming devices of successive rowsthereof as said carrier moves, said mechanism comprising rows ofWireengaging abutments spaced at intervals corre` sponding to thespacing of the lock-forming devices, means for imparting wire-deflectingmovement to said abutments, and means for feeding twodifferent sets ofmesh wires to said carrier at spaced points in carrier movement, saidmeans being so arranged that the more advanced set of mesh wires do notenter into association with said abutments until after the other set ofmesh Wires have been partially deected.

14. The invention set forth in claim 12 with the addition that saidabutments are mounted onsaid carrier.

15. In a machine for making Wire-fabric having a mesh of graduatedwidth, a movable carrier, a jl rrr sof

lock-forming device on said carrieia wire-shifting abutment on saidcarrier and shiftable transversely of the direction of carrier movementfrom a normal position to a shifted position in which it is inassociation with said locl-`orming device,

means for feeding two mesh wires to said carrier at spaced pointsbetween the normal position and the shifted position of said abutment,and means for shifting said abutment from normal to shifted position assaid carrier moves, said shifting means acting before said two meshwires are fed to said carrier to move said abutment to a positionbetween them. v v

16. In a machine for making wire-fabric having 'a mesh of graduatedwidth, a movable carrier,

a wire-shifting abutment on said carrier and shiftable transversely ofthe direction of carrier movement from a normal position to a` shiftedposition, means for feeding two mesh wires to said carrier at spacedpoints between the normal position and the shifted position of saidabutment, and means for shifting said abutment from normal to shiftedposition as said carrier moves, said shifting means acting before saidtwo mesh wires are fed to said carrier to move said abutment to aposition between them.

17. In a machine for making wire-fabric, a pair of twister-gears eachhaving a radially extending slot for receiving wires which are to betwisted together by gear-rotation,and'mans supporting' said twistergears on spaced, parallel axes, said gears vbeing respectively providedwith annular series of gear teeth spaced axially from each other andoverlapping radially.

18. In a machine for making a graduated-mesh wire fabric in which thewidth of the narrowest mesh is less than half that of the coarsest mesh,an endless series of. parallel rows of lock-forming devices, a movablecarrier, mechanism including wire-shiftingabutments mounted o-n saidcarrier for delecting, mesh wires into the desired mesh pattern and fordepositing the deflected mesh wires in the lock-forming devices ofsuccessive rows thereof as said carrier moves, said abutments beingarranged in rows extending trans-r versely of said carrier with theabutments in each row spaced at intervals corresponding to the spacingof the lock-forming devices, means for imparting wire-defiectingmovement to said abutments, and means for feeding two different sets ofmesh wires to said carrier at spaced points in carrier movement, saidmeans being so arranged that the more advanced set of mesh wires do notenter into association with said abutments until after the other set ofmesh wires have been partially deected.

HARRY L. KITSELMAN.

